Goran Dragic returns to Phoenix Suns

by Paul Coro - Jul. 19, 2012 07:23 PMThe Republic | azcentral.com

From his rookie year to the time Steve Nash sat him down in the middle of an empty practice floor for a third-year pep talk, Goran Dragic took one consistent message away from his legendary predecessor.

"Kid, just wait for your opportunity," Dragic said Nash told him. "You're going to have one or two opportunities, and you've got to take advantage of it."

Who knew that his grand opportunity would come from being traded in 2011? The Suns hoped they would benefit from a change of scenery for Aaron Brooks, who came from Houston in exchange for Dragic and a first-round pick. Instead, Dragic was the beneficiary, becoming a starter this year during Kyle Lowry's illness. Now, the Suns hope they also benefit from the return of "The Dragon."

Dragic is the No.1 in stature and in number after he switched from the jersey No.2 he wore as the No.2. Like when the Suns first traded Nash 14 years ago, it took Dragic going away and establishing himself elsewhere for the Suns to hand him the reins. On Thursday, Dragic signed a four-year, $30 million contract that could be worth more with $1 million annual All-Star bonuses. Dragic has a player option on the fourth year.

"Many of us, I think, believe that had Goran not left, he would've never had the opportunity to spread his wings and grow in the way he has," said Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby, who will sign and introduce the Suns' other big free-agent acquisition, Michael Beasley, Friday. "We're thrilled that he did come back. There is an old expression that you have to big enough to admit your mistakes, strong enough to profit from them and strong enough to correct them."

Dragic, 26, had a more lucrative offer from Charlotte and considered Toronto and Houston but settled on Phoenix primarily because of coach Alvin Gentry, who is entering his final contact year. Dragic was "a lost cause from Europe," as he put it, when he was a rookie until Gentry replaced Terry Porter and restored Dragic's confidence.

Dragic calls Gentry "a second father" and cited his comfort with him and the confidence Gentry gave him for luring him back.

"His confidence level is at its all-time high," Gentry said. "In this league, that becomes a really important thing. He feels that he belongs now. He feels that he can line up and play against anyone in the league.

"The thing that I like about him is that the intensity and the competitiveness that he plays with becomes very important to what we're trying to do here."

Dragic, a second-round draft pick by Steve Kerr's staff in 2008, improved over his first two seasons with the icing coming in a 23-point fourth quarter at San Antonio in the 2010 playoffs. He had one of the NBA's worst plus-minus ratings when he was traded last year but finished that season strongly in Houston. In 28 starts this season, Dragic averaged 18.0 points and 8.4 assists while shooting 49 percent from the field and 38 percent on 3-pointers for Houston.

"Now I just know things," Dragic said. "I learned from the best, Steve. And I learned from a lot of people, from the coaches and now I think I'm ready to be more vocal."

When the bench struggled in 2010-11, Dragic failed to take command of wayward players and plays. He was more assertive in Houston and showed flashes of Nash. Dragic never tried to replicate Nash's game but took pieces that fit him, whether it was learning to stop picking up his dribble on pick-and-rolls, breaking the habit of turning his back to ball pressure or probing defenses longer.

July 19, 2012 - Suns president of basketball operations, Lon Babby, left, and head coach Alvin Gentry, right, pose for a photo with their new point guard Goran Dragic during a press conference at US Airways Center.